TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL RETORT 71 



In addition to the above, thirty-nine large packing cases for 

 shipping Red Cross materials were made in our shops ; the car- 

 penters volunteering to do the work after hours. The materials 

 for twenty-four of these were paid for by the Bronx Chapter 

 of the Red Cross and the remainder from the Zoological Park 

 Defense Fund. 



Hag Raiding. — On March 31 a flag-raising ceremony took 

 place at the north end of Baird Court. The occasion was utilized 

 as an opportunity to make a trial mobilization of the Boy Scouts 

 of the Bronx, and on six hours' notice about 900 Scouts assem- 

 bled in uniform. A patriotic address was delivered by Hon. 

 Douglas Mathewson, Borough President, which was followed by 

 an address from the Director of the Park. The music for the 

 occasion was kindly furnished by the Catholic Protectory Band, 

 and the national colors were hoisted on a flag-staff 55 feet high, 

 situated on the axis of Baird Court, midway between the en- 

 trances of the Administration Building and the Tropical Bird 

 House. 



War Crops. — In view of the high and ever-increasing cost of 

 animal food, every quarter-acre of land in the Zoological Park 

 that could with propriety be spared for agricultural purposes 

 w^as plowed and planted. A large section of the Elk Range, a 

 Wild Horse Range, a glade in the forest and new grounds at the 

 Nursery were planted in corn for green fodder, beets, turnips, 

 potatoes, lettuce, sunflower and carrots, and carefully cultivated. 



The results were in the main very satisfactory, but on some 

 of the ground the crops of the second year will naturally be bet- 

 ter than those of the first. It is roughly estimated that our farm- 

 ing operations eflfected a saving of about $2,500. 



DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALS. 

 W. T. Hornaday, Curator; R. L. Ditmars, Assistant Curator. 



Notwithstanding the well-nigh complete stoppage of wild 

 animal importations from Europe and Asia, our Zoological Park 

 collections have been fully maintained, both in species and in 

 specimens. The census at the close of the year 1917 shows a loss 

 of only three species and seven specimens. The losses that oc- 

 curred by death have been made good by rich collections received 

 from Australia and South Africa. 



